What to Expect from an SEO Company
Often times, when it comes to search engine optimization, client expectations exceed realistic goals. I had a client once who wanted SEO services for his 10 page auto insurance website and he fully expected to rank in the top 5 for the keyword, auto insurance. Really? I had to ask if he had ever searched that keyword to see who his competitors were. And yes, he really thought he was going to compete against the multi-million dollar marketing machines behind the nations top auto insurance companies. This isn’t to say it can’t be done. But his expectations were in no way realistic.
Whenever I come across a client with unrealistic goals, I try to be as honest as possible. I would rather turn the client away then to take on a client who I will never please. The client / SEO relationship can be very fragile, especially in the beginning where rankings take time to grow and results take time to bloom. This can be a frustrating time for the client who wants everything right now and doesn’t fully understand that it just doesn’t work that way.
So, what should you expect from an SEO company? The answer is as simple as it is honest. You should expect a clear and concise strategy which covers what the short, mid and long term goals for your SEO campaign will be and how they will be achieved. You should expect transparency when it comes to the actual work being performed by your search engine optimization specialists. You should expect to hear the honest truth in regards to your websites competitive abilities.
When hiring an SEO company it is important to understand that you are not simply outsourcing technical work to a 3rd party company. In reality, if you ever hope to be successful, you are hiring a partner in your business. This company has to care more about your success then they do about the monthly fees you pay them. They need to understand your business in order to help set you apart from your competitors. After all, your competitors have their own SEO strategy and if your SEO team is only in it for the paycheck, they will only work as hard as they need to earn that paycheck.
At Discovery Communications, we believe in quality client relationships. We do not want to sell you a service that you do not need. We believe that if we can help make you more money then you will be more than happy to make us money. It’s worked out great for us, and our clients, so far.
Bill Karas is the Director of Online Marketing at Discovery Communications Group and specializes in SEO, SEM, Performance Marketing, Analytics and Landing Page / Conversion Optimization Services. You can reach him directly at 603-685-2919 or email him at billk@discoverycomm.com
